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Wing web and axillary dermatitis

I have a Noble/Hahn’s macaw who is close to 20. He used to get ulcerations under his wings in the summer, right at the wing/body angle. I thought they were yeast because they exuded a whitish liquid and he was prone to yeast infections. When he was treated for yeast, the skin would heal. Because of your advice, my vet cultured the yeast from his droppings and changed medications. (From ketaconzaol to itraconazol maybe?) He hasn’t had a yeast infection since, and he went a few years with no skin problem. But this year, he has developed a skin ulceration under one wing. A fecal test showed no yeast and my vet took a swab from his wing and saw no yeast. I have tried both a fungal cream, and Prep H (not at the same time) but there has been no improvement. My vet suspects Ducky is picking at the skin, causing the problem. I doubt that is the case. I have never seen him pick and the ulceration doesn’t look like picking to me—the skin just gradually “dissolves.” What would you suggest?

The “wing web and axillary dermatitis” issues of many parrot species is not uncommonly seen. Simply, we really do not clearly know the primary cause of this problem, but secondary infections seem to make the issue worse. These most likely are not related to a primary infectious cause.

Be careful about using some Preparation H products - some contain steroids, which could be quite harmful to your bird’s immune system and functional liver health.

Has your veterinarian discussed the possibility of referral for a more detailed evaluation of your bird’s health? Some of these axillary dermatitis issues may be associated with primary cardiovascular disease, and hence, a good and careful medical workup may be indicated here.

About Brian Speer, DVM

Avian veterinarian Dr. Brian Speer was raised in a small town on California’s coast. He received his BS in Biology from California Polytechnic State University in 1978, and his DVM degree from the University of California at Davis in 1983.

An active member of the Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV), Dr. Speer is a much sought after guest speaker and has presented at numerous conferences in the avicultural and zoological communities both within the United States and abroad. He is well published in the AAV annual proceedings, has served as guest editor for the journal Seminars in Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine, the Veterinary Clinics of North America, and authored chapters in several recent veterinary medical texts on pet bird, avicultural and ratite medical topics. In 1995 he co-authored the extensive avicultural reference, The Large Macaws, and helped to co-author Birds for Dummies in 1999.

Since 1989, Dr, Speer has run a “bird’s only” practice in the San Francisco Bay area and is the President and Director of The Medical Center for Birds. He is a consultant for The Veterinary Information Network (Avian Medical Boards) and the Maui Animal Rescue and Sanctuary. In 2003 he was the recipient of the Lafeber award for excellence in private practice of avian medicine and surgery and in 2006, was named Speaker of the Year for the North American Veterinary Conference.